Today in Albania, there is no longer any discussion about whether or not medical cannabis should be allowed. This issue was sealed after the approval of the law by parliament in July 2023. The discussion is now about how this activity will be developed in our country, its control, and the supposed profits it should bring to the economy.
Almost a year after this statement by the Prime Minister, more precisely on July 21, 2023, the parliament approved the government's initiative to legalize medical cannabis in Albania. A draft that had aroused much discussion and skepticism, even within the ranks of the Socialists and which was also manifested in the vote, where the draft passed with 69 votes in favor of the Socialists, 3 abstentions from them and 23 votes against from the opposition.
Today, the legalization of medical cannabis is a reality. Although the destination of cannabis by-products is export, critics see the law as premature, arguing that Albania still remains a country with weak rule of law, as well as a source and transit country for narcotic plants.
Although the law has been in force for over a year and a half, the initiative allowing medical cannabis activity has advanced at a slow pace.
At a meeting two weeks ago, the government approved the criteria for areas and plots where medical cannabis will be cultivated. According to the law, the maximum area for cultivation will be 150 hectares. Meanwhile, other bylaws that would pave the way for licensing companies have not yet been issued.
The law already approved provides for several steps to launch the medical cannabis activity in Albania, with the destination being export. The draft provides for the establishment of the Cannabis Control Agency; licensing for medical and industrial cannabis; granting 3 licenses for the activity, where each license is valid for 15 years, with the right to renewal.
The law specifies that within the framework of allowing medical cannabis, three types of licenses will be granted: for the cultivation of cannabis; its transport and export.
The government has set out in law some specifications for companies that will receive the license. According to them, they must have 3 years of experience, be a manufacturer in OECD countries for 5 years, implement practices that are approved by the European Medicines Agency and the American Agency; have capital over 100 million lek and a bank guarantee of 10% of the investment value.
Today, the world is divided in its stances regarding whether or not to license cannabis activity, even for medical purposes.
In the Balkan region, this activity has been permitted in North Macedonia since 2016 and since July 2023 in Albania. While it is prohibited in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.
The map of countries that allow medical cannabis, and not only, but also for recreational purposes, is most extensive in Europe.
On our continent, there are 22 countries that allow medical cannabis and 3 countries that allow recreational cannabis. While 11 countries have banned recreational cannabis.
The experiences coming from these countries regarding the effectiveness of this industry's treatment are also different.
Economic benefits were the main reason the government gave for the legalization of medical cannabis. A process that undoubtedly has benefits, but also great risks. This is considering the problems that Albania has in the production and trade of narcotic drugs, where in almost all national and international reports this illegal activity is considered very worrying for the country and not only, but also for the markets it supplies.
The benefits derived from the legalization of medical cannabis are related to the advantages derived from increased economic activity; competitiveness in the global market; increased employment and exports.
While the risks are related to control over medical cannabis producers; shareholders of licensed companies; tolerance and normalization of drug use; the risk of money laundering and transparency in the entire process, A2 CNN reports.
Data shows that legalizing cannabis provides huge profits, especially in countries with high demand.
Reports prepared by the London-based advisory group Prohibition Partners estimate the European legal cannabis market at 354 million euros in 2022 and 516 million euros in 2023. Total cannabis sales are forecast to increase by 45% to reach 2.1 billion euros by 2027 in Europe. Meanwhile, the value of the global legal cannabis market is expected to touch 50 billion euros.
There is a famous expression in economics: high risk, high reward. Is Albania taking too much risk with the legalization of medical cannabis and what could be the next step?
With the decision two weeks ago, the government approved the criteria for the areas and plots where medical cannabis will be cultivated. But agricultural experts estimate that Albania has the most ideal lands for cultivating cannabis. According to them, about 40% of the agricultural land fund in the country can serve for the development of this crop.
The law also defines areas in which such activity will not be undertaken. Such as plots not within protected areas, pastures, meadows, military areas, away from bee parks, and not on lands with high concentrations of metals.
Meanwhile, to assess the quality of cannabis that will be produced in the country and exported, a scientific laboratory is expected to be established near the Agricultural University of Tirana.
The government's enthusiasm of three years ago to legalize medical cannabis seems to have faded a bit. This is considering that the legal framework with all the acts is still not ready and even further away is the licensing of companies that will deal with this activity. The Prime Minister and ministers are no longer talking about medical cannabis. Apparently the experiment is proving easy to carry out, proving some of the skeptics right. (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
